The Nation - News from June 24, 1988

Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III and a former aide have been subpoenaed to appear as defense witnesses in the Wedtech bribery racketeering trial of Rep. Mario Biaggi (D-N.Y.) and six others. “My understanding is that, yes, a subpoena was received by Mr. Meese’s office for the Biaggi trial,” said James Rocap, an attorney for Meese in Washington. And the wife of James Jenkins, former chief deputy to Meese when he served as counselor to the President, confirmed that a subpoena was served on her husband “last (Wednesday) night.” The seven defendants are on trial in U.S. District Court in Manhattan for allegedly transforming Wedtech from a small South Bronx machine shop into a multimillion-dollar company that obtained defense contracts through payoffs to Biaggi and other officials.